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I've been to a lot of trade shows throughout the course of my work in the cycling industry. Big one's, small one's, indoor and outdoor, as a representative for a company exhibiting and as an attendee just to network and gawk at all the shiny odds & ends that various companies bring to show off. Now I can add one more reason why I've attended a bike industry show & tell; to deliver and install a hand-built booth made predominantly of reclaimed pallet wood.

When I first got the call to ask if I'd be interested in building the booth for one of my favorite brands in cycling, the answer was a pretty clear yes. The next step was finding a partner to help with the project and really make it come to life. After a little head scratching, I asked a long-time friend with experience doing projects ranging from home remodels to building the massive ramps at the X Games and everything else in between. He too was pumped on the opportunity to get involved with a creative build such as this, so without delay we made haste and got to work.

It was a few weeks before my wife and I were slated to depart on the biggest road trip of our lives when I received a phone call from my Uncle Skip. We were planning to visit him on the East Coast leg of our trip and spend a couple of days in one another's company. I can remember the phone call vividly as it wasn’t just a normal “hey let’s get together” kind of call. Rather, my uncle had something special up his sleeve that took me by surprise and began a countdown that would lead up to an incredibly special moment in my life.

Uncle Skip spent his career as an aircraft mechanic for the US Navy, so he’s quite the history buff when it comes to our country’s past with war involvement and the equipment that was used to defend the freedoms we have in America. His collection of war memorabilia is absolutely impressive to say the very least. Even if the implements of battle are not your thing, there’s something really special about seeing the passion and knowledge one possesses about a certain subject. Nestled in his collection is a very special rifle, an M1 Garand that would belong to my grandfather had he lived to collect it himself. During our visit, my uncle asked me to fire the rifle with him for the first time in over 29 years.

I was a little over a year old when my grandfather passed away, so my memories of our time together are fairly faint except for the small number of photos I have of us together. The rifle came a few months after he passed, leaving his son to receive it on his behalf. At this point, the rifle had only been test fired by the manufacturer to receive it’s safety proof marks to be released. Upon receipt, my uncle made the decision to keep the rifle stored away safely until I was old enough to fire it with him. The sheer patience of waiting nearly three decades for any event in life is a small miracle, simply making the significance of this experience that much greater.

After spending the morning sharing some stories and laughs over breakfast and coffee, we chatted about our plan to head to the firing range to give Papa’s M1 the ceremony it deserved. We loaded up in the Jeep with all the equipment we’d need and headed to the range. By this point the anticipation and excitement to fire the rifle was coursing through my veins unlike anything I had ever felt. Because I didn’t get to know my grandfather like I have always wished, my ideals of him are of the highest respect, so this occasion definitely brought some emotion to the surface.

​Once at the range, Uncle Skip raised the rifle to his shoulder, aimed it downrange, and squeezed the trigger. Hanging from the rich brown stock, a tag labeled “this rifle was dad’s” gently swayed in the wind. I felt the energy of my Papa enter the space as my uncle gently laid the pristine rifle down on the bench next to him. It was finally my turn to experience opening the time capsule for myself.

I don’t have a lot of experience with firearms, much less I had not fired anything as powerful as the M1 in my entire life. Until this moment, my background consisted of shooting some .22 caliber rifles and 12 gauge shotguns when I was a Boy Scout. My uncle assured me this was a great rifle to fire and due to its weight and the size of the recoil spring inside that it wasn’t going to be quite like I may have expected. My first shot was from a seated position to get a feel for what I was up against, immediately followed by multiple standing rounds thereafter. I laid the rifle down on the bench after firing through eight rounds and grinned back at my uncle knowing that my Papa would have been so happy to share in the moment with us.

The joy I felt from experiencing this special moment with my uncle is something I’ll cherish forever. I can’t honestly say that going down to the range to shoot any given firearm is one of my favorite things to do, but when the occasion is that of something so special, no matter your convictions, you should certainly seize the moment and see the deeper meaning within. As people, learning about our heritage and sharing experiences like these with family gives a deeper understanding of who we are as individuals, and provides us with the knowledge and tools we need to become better characters as we move forward in life. After all, knowledge is power and that’s something that we can all benefit from.

There's no denying it, everyone loves a good party. On Friday, March 17, 2017, that's exactly what went down in the mile-hi, winter sports crazed city of Denver, CO.

​It wasn't long after the 2016 presidential election when I first approached the crew at Protect Our Winters. The political landscape was taking a sharp directional turn and quickly raised a lot of questions about the future of where our country's climate change agendas would be heading. At this point, we all had a pretty good idea of where our new administration stood on the subject simply based on the highly volatile campaign trail leading up. Needless to say, I felt an immediate call to action to do my part in taking a stand for what I believe in.

I wanted to help POW the best way I know how; by raising funds and awareness while having a damn good time doing it. So the planning for an art show, gear give-away, beer-drinking, music filled evening alongside the action sports enthused community of Denver began immediately. After some back and forth about nailing down a date for the event, we eventually settled on Friday, March 17th; St. Paddy's Day. Perfect, I thought, people love to get out and celebrate on St. Patrick's Day, and what better than for a good cause. Feeling stoked about the chosen date, I texted a friend about the new advancement who immediately replied back with, "call it Saint POWtricks Day!" Then and there, the name stuck and the concept for making this event a reality was on a non-stop train to party town. ​For the next three and a half months I planned religiously, coordinated with artists in the outdoor action sports world, rallied a slew of sponsors to get involved, and banded together with those in the local community to launch the first ever Saint POWtricks Day Bash. The art work, which hung in evo's gallery throughout the entire month of March consisted of fifteen different pieces ranging from photography to block-prints to mixed media and paint. The work was as diverse as each artist that submitted a piece, making for a unique offering of different styles and techniques used throughout the outdoor winter sports community.

As the evening began to unfold, people started filing through the doors to purchase beer and raffle tickets and take a shot at winning some art in the silent auction. With music flare provided by Dan Grund, bites from Zeps Epiq Sandwiches and delicious beer being served from Upslope Brewing, the space at evo was certainly filled with good vibes. Once the time came to draw raffle tickets and give away some gear, the crowd was alive with energy and stoked to win some great prizes. It made for a truly special experience to be a part of.

With events like this, the importance of raising awareness and building a sense of community with other like-minded people is quite possibly the number one priority. Sure, raising money, winning some artwork or gear, and drinking some delicious brews is a definite bonus to attending, but connecting people and allowing new ideas to pour through the floodgates is why these events are so important. For it's spawning new thinking and empowering people to act on their dreams where we can really crank up the volume on positive change for our planet.

Watching familiar faces connecting with one another is what it's all about.

Throughout the evening, less than two hundred people came out to support the cause; however, the politically charged and progressive community of Denver helped to raise nearly six thousand dollars [$5819 to be exact] to aid in the continued fight on protecting our planet's climate, environment, and in turn, Protecting Our Winters.

Without the support of artists, sponsors, coordinators, and attendee's, this event would not have been possible, so it is with great gratitude that I send a resounding Thank You to everyone that follows:

Finally, thanks to Barbara and Torrey at Protect Our Winters for the back end assistance on making this dream come to life. Your efforts on fighting for positive change are highly appreciated by the outdoor sports communities and our environment. ​